Decennium
by TheDescension
Summary: Traversing through the crevices of time, they tried to find themselves, never really knowing that they were searching in the wrong place, with the wrong people.
1. Crash and Burn

I have not forgotten _Syzygy,_ I never could. I don't know where this came from, but it did, and kinda begged to be written. So, here it is.

I don't want to give away much about the story at this stage but I think the title is a little indicative of what's going to happen.

And like always, I do not own _Power Rangers_ or the lyrics of the songs that I will be using as the chapter titles.

* * *

 **Tori**

* * *

I know that it might sound jaded  
And I have to say  
I think love is overrated  
But I don't like throwing it away.

\- _Crash and Burn,_

Thomas Rhett.

* * *

 **17 September, 2003.**

* * *

It seems more like a homecoming extravaganza than a farewell get-together. The guys are inside, hammered beyond repair, slurring out incomprehensible words every minute, watching a football match and screaming the place down.

Their madness perturbs me, their carefree joy confuses me, my aching heart surprises me.

I had not expected to be this shaken by his departure. I had not wanted to be this shaken but here I was, an eighteen year old behaving like her life had just ended because her _crush_ of eleven months had decided to move to another city to chase his dreams.

I press myself harder against the railing, body suddenly feeling lighter, the cold wind lashing at me.

"Tor," there is panic in his voice, as he rushes to my side, his hands firmly wrapped around my forearm. "You could have fallen."

I let my body relax against his, leaning against him.

"Did you want to fall or what?" he chuckles to himself, his laughter resonating with mine.

"As enticing as that sounds, no, Blake, I did not want to do that," I reply, my words slurring too.

I twist my body to face him and pull back slightly to create some distance between the two of us.

He stares at me for a second and frowns a little, "That sounds enticing?"

I cackle.

"I was just playing," I giggle. "I am not suicidal, don't worry."

He smiles back, but his face is marred with lines of worry.

"How much did you drink, Tori?" he questions me, voice almost accusing.

"Not much," I say. "Not at all."

He gives me one long glance, clearly disturbed to find me in this state.

"If I tell you something now, if we talk now, will you remember?" he asks, voice uncharacteristically shaky.

"Yes," I say. "Of course, I will."

"Tori, I…" he begins, stuttering at the very first word.

I look at him expectantly.

"I did not want to leave," he finally says.

"Oh."

I cringe at my reply.

"I wanted to stay here. I never wanted to go away but Factory Blue is big and if I want to be any good at motocross, which I badly do, this is the place. I don't want you to think that-"

I cut him off by pressing my lips onto his. Where I have found this newfound courage is unbeknownst to me. Maybe it is the alcohol, maybe it is the fact that he was futilely trying to explain his actions or maybe it is the assurance that no matter how much of a fool I make of myself, it won't matter because he will be gone.

 _Just gone._

He does not kiss me back at once and I think it is because I have surprised him but when he does not kiss me back _at all_ , I pull back.

His eyes are closed and they snap open as I pull back.

"Tori, I…" he starts.

"Nah, Blake, it's fine," I shrug.

He opens his mouth again but I cut him off.

"You don't have to explain yourself," I say, realizing how tears were forming in my eyes.

"I can't… can't start something that I won't be able to finish."

His logic baffles me. Maybe it would not have had I not been sloshed, but now, it just sounds like a load of crap.

 _Horseshit._

"That's okay," I reply lamely, telling myself that I should not sour this moment because it could be the last I saw of him.

 _At least for a good few years._

"What are you delinquents up to?"

I draw myself farther away from Blake, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at the sound of that voice.

In all his pompous jackassery, Hunter stands at the door to the balcony, a stupid smirk on his face.

 _Like always._

"Delinquent?" I scoff. "Do you even know how to spell that?"

"You are a bunch of teenagers drinking. Could not find a better word."

I glare at him.

"What do you want?" I hiss.

"Nothing, princess," he smiles. "It is past twelve. I have to drive you home."

"I am _not_ your princess and if you think you are going to get to drive my van, get real."

"I promised your mom I'd get you home and I always keep my promises," he says, voice suddenly serious, all traces of a smirk gone.

I freeze under his gaze, my knees buckle and I feel myself falling, weightless.

Before I can hit the ground, a pair of strong hands is wrapped around me, cradling my limp body.

I expect it to be Blake but surprisingly, it is Hunter. He has managed to move with some freaky speed whereas Blake has stood a silent spectator.

"Looks like it is time to go home, princess," he whispers as he helps me to my feet, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Do you want me to go too?" Blake asks.

"Nope," Hunter dismisses him. "One drunk teenager is all that I can handle."

Blake agrees and Hunter escorts me to my van, making me sit and fastening my seat belt.

"Aren't you being a little too overprotective?" I ask, his actions astounding me.

 _Like always._

"Maybe," he smirks, before igniting the engine and driving off.

* * *

The familiar comfort of my bed surrounds me.

"Your parents trust you," he whispers, pulling the covers on top of me.

"I know," I mumble. "They trust me enough to leave me the whole house even when I told them quite explicitly that there was a party."

"Yeah," he chuckles, sitting down on the bed.

"I feel like puking."

"Drinking isn't everyone's cup of tea, princess."

"Don't call me that," I groan. "I hate princesses."

"I know," he laughs, getting up to leave. "Which is precisely why I call you so."

I fail to glare at him.

"Go off to sleep," he says. "I'll see you at the airport."

 _Damn._

"Hunter, I can't be at the airport," I confess.

He does not say a word and I proceed to explain, somehow feeling it is important for me to present my reasons.

"It'll be awkward," I frown.

"Okay," he says, his gaze softening. "Don't puke to death. Stay alive."

"Hunter?"

"Yeah?"

"When do you leave?"

I think I see his eyes widen, just a little, almost imperceptible; surprise on his face.

"Next week, perhaps."

"I'll miss you," I mumble, my eyes drooping close with sleep.

He smiles, does not smirk, and I go off to sleep, his smile, the last thing that I see.

* * *

"Tori?"

I am nudged out of my sleep by Hunter's voice.

"Your parents are going to be home in an hour. You might want to leave. I am certain that they would not want to see their underage daughter in the clutches of a hangover."

Brain cells still clogged with sleep, I rub my eyes lazily.

"What time is it?" I mutter.

"One," he replies. "In the afternoon."

"What?" I spring up at once and Hunter starts laughing.

"First hangover, princess, how does it feel?"

"Terrible," I groan, feeling nauseous and dizzy, all at once.

He chuckles, "It's going to be a very long day, princess."

* * *

"I never asked you why you were at my place in the morning," I frown as we walk through the woods, on our way to the Wind Ninja Academy.

"To save your ass," he states simply.

To say that I did not understand Hunter Bradley would be an understatement. What the hell was his game?

"Will you start teaching today itself?"

"I don't know," I sigh. "Maybe."

"Are you nervous?"

"Would it not be normal?"

"No," he says. "Hell, no! You saved the world. You can't be nervous."

"We saved the world, Hunter, _we_ did it."

There is silence for some time before he replies.

"You three saved the world, Tori. I was on the ground. So were Blake and Cam. It was you, Shane and Dustin, not us."

I think I hear guilt in his voice.

"Hunter, that's not true. The three of us fought the last battle in a long war and besides, we would have been outnumbered had you not rescued the ninjas from Lothor's ship."

"I know."

"You can't feel guilty for that, you know," I say.

He stops in his tracks, looking closely at me, blue eyes piercing through me and I feel wobbly again, being scrutinized by him.

I don't know what it is about Hunter that unsettles me so much. Maybe it's the fact that despite having been on the same team that had saved humanity, despite having had the opportunity to know him, I still didn't have the foggiest idea about him. All I knew about him was what he wanted me to know and that was hardly anything.

 _Why am I realizing this now?_

He looks away and only then do I realize that I had been unmoving under his leaden gaze. I let out a breath I never knew I was holding; the hammering of my heart the only sensation in my numb body as I follow him into the portal that lies waiting for us.

* * *

The sound of footsteps slowly dies as I see the students disappear as they walk towards the portal, and I stay back in the woods.

The sun is about to set and its dying light casts dancing shadows of the trees around. There is an unnatural rustle of the leaves and I get the uncanny feeling of being watched. Taking a look around, there is no sign of life that meets my eyes.

I glance around one last time, before deciding to return to the Academy.

The silence of the forest is restored and within a blink, a crimson beam of light comes to rest in front of me.

There is a smirk on his face as he tells me, amusement apparent in his voice, "It's just me, princess."

I have to take a few long breaths till I am breathing normally again and my heart has stopped thudding in my chest.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I hiss. "You scared me."

He rolls his eyes, "Some of your students are better than you."

I glare at him, unable to understand one damned thing about him.

"You were spying on me?" I almost yell.

"Spying is a strong word," he muses. "I'd call it observing and I observed that you are not as good as a Sensei should be."

I feel anger boiling within me, anger at his nerve, his audacity.

"And you are?"

"Of course I am," he grins. "Why do you think I am the head teacher at the Thunder Ninja Academy?"

"Let's spar, then," I blurt, my pride taking a severe beating and needing some serious repair.

"What, now?" he asks.

"Now."

"You'll lose, princess," he smirks, taking a step closer.

 _One blow and I will have him on the ground._

It is instinctive: I close my hands into a tight fist and aim for him. With surprising agility, he manages to block it. We move apart, settling into fighting stances.

"We are seriously going to do this?" he smirks.

"Shut up," I growl.

For the next few minutes, we fall into a rhythm: every one of my attacks defended by him, every one of his attacks defended by me, when all of a sudden, he manages to breach my defenses and I find myself on the ground.

"Did I not tell you, you'll lose?" he grins, extending his hand.

I brush away his hand and stand up on my own, which makes him laugh.

 _Jerk._

"Anyway, I came to tell you that Blake's flight has landed."

* * *

I have been questioning my sanity for the last twenty minutes, standing on the steps to Ninja Ops. After much debate and discussion, we eventually decided to keep the underground facility functional. After all, it had seen us through our most difficult times.

Taking in a deep breath, I enter Ops.

Everyone is here, huddled together around the table, in the midst of a lively conversation.

"Hey guys!" I greet them.

"Yo T!" Cyber Cam is the only one who acknowledges my presence.

"Guys!" I bark. "I'm going to borrow Hunter for a moment."

Hunter looks at me, another one of his smirks forming on his lips. He gets up slowly and walks at a painstakingly low pace.

"Yes, princess?"

I bite back my caustic words.

"I need your help," I say.

"For what?"

"Will you do it or not?"

"What are we talking about?"

I glance at the guys who are not paying the least bit of attention to us.

"I want to drink," I say. "I need you to buy me a beer... or something."

He narrows his eyes at me.

"Two nights straight? Are you a booze junkie now?"

"Please, Hunter," I put on the best pleading expression that I have.

"Ask Cam to buy it," he smiles innocently.

 _Vindictive ass._

"You know that won't work," I mumble.

"Please, Hunter," I beg. "I need to, tonight."

"Why?" He looks fairly amused.

I open my mouth but find myself unable to voice my thoughts.

"Because," I sigh and proceed to say what will sound the most convincing. "I miss Blake."

He does not reply, the amusement blinking out of his face.

"But no getting drunk like last night. One bottle of beer is all that you will get."

"Thank-"

"Oh yeah, and another condition too."

"What's that?"

"I get to call you princess without you getting pissed."

"You possibly can't-"

"Okay, no deal, then," he says and makes a pretense of turning around.

 _Jackass._

I grab his arm before he can go.

"Okay," I sigh.

"Okay what?" he grins. "Say it."

"You can call me princess."

* * *

A bottle comes whizzing in my direction and I grab it with absolute animal instinct and hunger.

"Thanks," I say, opening the bottle.

"You are welcome, princess," he says, sitting down beside me.

We are at the beach, Hunter, as he keeps reminding me, having graciously bought me a bottle of beer.

Bitterness floods my mouth with one gulp of the liquid.

We sit there in perfect silence, awkward yet companionable, empty yet filled.

The drink is slowly having its effect and I feel the weight of my thoughts slowly getting lighter.

It was not an entire lie that I missed Blake but more than that, it was Hunter that brought me here.

I had realized that like always, we had given Blake a farewell of grandiosity while we had forgotten that Hunter too would be leaving.

He would not be half the world away but he would be _away_ : even if it was two hours away.

And no matter how much grief he gave me, he was still Hunter: not really a friend, not just a teammate, undefined yet important.

 _And I still know nothing about him._

"Are you contemplating murder, princess?" he sneers.

"That would mean trouble for you," I retort. "You head that list, you know."

He lets out a snort of a laugh and I find myself laughing too.

"Why do we bicker like kids, Hunter?"

"I don't know," he chuckles. "Has become routine, hasn't it?"

I nod, taking another swig of the beer.

"We'll keep in touch, right?" I ask hesitantly.

He doesn't answer straightaway and I wonder what he is thinking. "We will, Tori," he finally whispers.

"Tori?" I am genuinely surprised and... moved. I'm beginning to like this evening, just Hunter and me, a first of its kind but somehow so utterly familiar.

 _Why didn't we do this earlier?_

"Princess," he corrects himself. "We will, princess."

"Hunter?" I start without thinking. After all, this is the second farewell I'll be bidding in twenty four hours and it possibly can't end worse than how it did with Blake.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something honestly?"

"Should I be worried?"

I sigh. "I feel there is a lot about you that I do not know and this is probably horrible timing but I want to know. You know so much about me and I don't, and it is almost unfair."

He does not reply, silently sips his beer, his body tense, his eyes skittering. Finally, he sighs, "Even if I wanted to, I don't think I would be able to explain all that you are asking me to explain."

I do not have an answer to that. Hunter always has evasive prevaricating answers to everything.

"But if you really want to know," he continues, which surprises me. "I do not remember much before the Bradleys. They took me in when I was three, that's what they told me. They died when I was eleven, hence the number on my bike. Then, there was the Thunder Ninja Academy and then, there was Lothor and you know the rest."

It is perhaps the worst representation that one can give of his life but it is something: I never knew why his bike number was eleven. I ponder saying something but there is nothing that comes to my mind and I let a silence descend upon us.

"We'll talk every month, we'll write, we'll text," he tells me suddenly. "We aren't going to lose each other, princess."

"Nope, we aren't." I feel the bottle getting lighter. "You didn't have to buy me the beer today, you know, but you still did. I think I know why..." I giggle, the alcohol doing strange things to my body.

"About time you figured it out, huh?" he smirks. "So that I could call you princess."

I roll my eyes. "And," I start dramatically, nudging him. "Because you love me."

He breaks out into laughter, something fatally contagious about it. "And because I love you, princess."


	2. Ode to Sleep

Another chapter, then.

Thanks to the wonderful _ems32_ for being a constant support. I can't thank her enough, really.

It's Tori again. It'll probably be Tori for most of the story but that is variable.

If you like this, do review, if you don't, still review. I would love to hear from you guys.

Alright, onto Chapter Two then.

* * *

 **Tori**

* * *

Why am I not scared in the morning,  
I don't hear those voices calling,  
I must have kicked them out, I must have kicked them out,  
I swear I heard demons yelling,  
Those crazy words they were spelling,  
They told me I was gone, they told me I was gone.

\- _Ode to Sleep,_

Twenty One Pilots.

* * *

 **17 September, 2004.**

* * *

I hit the ground in a senseless haze, robbed of all my energy; powerless. A host of faces surround me, which on better scrutinization turn out to be those of Cam, Blake and Hunter.

 _Blake and Hunter._

And in that moment, I know that something is wrong.

Before I can think further, I am being helped up by Blake. Our eyes meet for the briefest of moments and he makes an attempt to smile at me, which I return in kind too. It should be awkward but it is not, clearly there are bigger messier problems to be solved.

"How did we get here?" I question immediately. "The last thing I remember-"

"Lothor," Blake explains.

The story continues and I listen in a daze as my ex-teammates explain the situation, every word revealing just how dire a situation we are in.

It seems too much, the news refuses to sink in and I find myself staggering forward, weighed down by all that has transpired around me.

"Careful there," Hunter is there at my side at once, his arms wrapped around my waist protectively.

 _Damn._

I frown at him: this uncanny nature of his to protect me driving me to do so. I don't know how he does it but every time I am in trouble, Hunter is there by me.

Even after a year, that has not changed.

I try to wriggle out of his grasp triggering a typically-Hunter-response, "I don't bite."

With that, he tightens his grip around me.

Sighing, I let my body relax, allowing it to lean against his.

Meanwhile, a fierce discussion has ensued between my team and the three newcomers who have introduced themselves as the Dino Rangers. Blake seems to already know them and although it should not matter, I find the stirring of a little something within me as he quirks a smile at their yellow.

 _Kira._

"Hey guys," Shane's voice rings loud amidst all the chaos, shutting everyone up; true leader mode. "Standing here and debating about what should be done and what could be done isn't going to take us anywhere."

"Exactly," Cam echoes him.

"Alright then," it is Kira who speaks. "Let's show you where we keep our toys then."

Shane nods and we march forward in silence, following the Dino Rangers.

Hunter does not let me go, not even for a split second.

"By the way, you kicked some serious ass being evil, princess."

* * *

"It's too late to drive home and I insist," Tommy tells Sensei for the umpteenth time.

"Alright, alright," Sensei smiles. "Since you insist."

"I have to go back to my team though," Blake says. "I have to stay with them."

"Not a problem," Tommy says. "But I am hoping that you can join us for breakfast tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure," Blake smiles.

I watch from the corner of the room as Blake goes around bidding farewell to everyone. Finally, he stops in front of me.

"Tori," he sighs, a small smile on his lips.

"Blake."

"I wish we had more time to talk," he says.

"Yeah, me too," I say. "For old times' sake."

"For old times' sake," he nods.

Awkward silence spans in between us and I feel a few pair of eyes fixated on us.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" I ask him, desperate to walk away from these stares.

"Sure," he agrees.

We walk out, underneath the night sky, the stars burning bright above us.

"How has Factory Blue treated you so far?" I ask, nothing else coming to my mind.

"Splendidly," Blake grins. "It's been so good, Tor. I'm getting to do exactly what I have always wanted to do. I am living my dream, you know."

I smile, genuine happiness for him flooding over me.

"Not everyone can say that," I say.

"I know," he says. "And I consider myself very lucky for whatever I have got."

The Factory Blue chauffeured car looms up in view as we take a turn.

"That's my ride," Blake says.

"Yeah," I say, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach. "I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast?"

"You will," he smiles and after a moment's hesitation leans in to kiss me on the cheek. "Don't stay out for too long."

"I won't," I whisper as his car disappears, winding into the darkness.

* * *

I end up staying outside for a little too long. I need some time to collect my thoughts. Seeing Blake, talking to him and realizing just how _settled_ his life was, had brought in a tidal wave of emotions.

Not that I was dissatisfied with my life but it could definitely be better: I could perhaps do something more on the surfing front.

Even before I had time to realize, the past year had flown past. It was such a different responsibility: teaching students, moulding lives, shaping characters. There was always so much to do: to teach, to learn, to guide, to instruct, to do _paperwork_ , to solve problems of students, in some way or the other, I always had my hands full.

I was glad that through it all, I had Shane and Dustin to assist me.

Hunter and I had managed to stay in contact. Monthly emails, phone calls on birthdays, odd meetings due to the demands of our academies, we had grown to be closer than we were a year ago. It was oddly funny, really but I was glad it had happened.

The story with Blake however had just gone downhill. He had lost himself in his world of motocross and fame, and we had failed to keep alive our friendship, let alone anything else that we had.

I know we had talked about it that forgettable drunken night a year ago and he had told me quite clearly that all he wanted to do was focus on his career but subconsciously, I had planted a seed of hope in my mind and had allowed it to grow and lead me to believe otherwise.

Till tonight.

* * *

When I return to Tommy's house, it is eerily quiet, the lights all turned off except the one in the living room.

I figure that they have all gone to bed.

I enter the house, making the least bit of noise possible, wondering which room I am supposed to sleep in. Peering into the living room, I find no one there and just as I am about to turn around, the light inside goes off.

Heart thudding in my chest, I look around uncomfortably when in his blazing glory of crimson, Hunter Bradley comes to a halt in front of me.

I find myself unable to speak and gulping hard, I manage to hiss, "Do you want me to die of a heart attack?"

In the waning light of the moon that has filtered through the half open window, he smirks at me.

"Nope, I have fancier ways to kill you."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes and ask instead, "Where am I supposed to sleep?"

A pillow comes whizzing in my direction and I catch it with practiced accuracy.

"With me, princess."

* * *

The room looks unused, dust having collected in the corners. The bed however has been made and I collapse onto it at once, tiredness overpowering me.

"What devious means did you have to employ to do this?" I ask Hunter, who too has collapsed on the bed beside me.

"Do what?" he asks, stifling a yawn.

"This," I say. "Us in the same room."

"Nothing much," he replies, chuckling. He adds then, voice dulling with every word. "We were the last ones left roomless. You see, Tommy has four spare rooms. The guys are in one, Marah and Kapri in one and Sensei in one and us, here."

I turn my head to look at him, finding him half asleep.

"Hey," I say, gently shaking him by the arm. "Remove your shoes and sleep. Don't expect me to do that."

He groans.

"Get up," I say, shoving him slightly.

"Let me sleep," he groans, turning away from me.

"Open your shoes and sleep," I say, shoving him again.

After a few more minutes of coaxing him, he finally gets up, cursing under his breath.

I sigh, getting up too.

Turning my back to him, I unbutton my ninja shirt and remove it, leaving me in my black tank top.

"Do you want me to sleep somewhere else?" Hunter asks sheepishly, the slightest of red colouring his cheeks, as I turn around to face him, twisting my hair into a messy bun.

"Where will you sleep?" I ask, thoroughly enjoying the sight of him turning red.

"I don't know," he mumbles.

I let out a laugh, something endearing about his embarrassment.

"It's okay, Hunter," I smile, removing my shoes. "I think I can bring myself to sleep beside you for one night."

He turns redder at that.

Laughing hysterically, I slide beneath the covers, as he stares at me in wonderment, truly crimson.

* * *

I wake up in a cold sweat, my breathing heavy, the nightmare feeling too real. Guilt lurches inside me and I have to hold on tightly to the bedstead to keep myself steady.

It is still dark outside and when I have regained my breath, I realize that Hunter is not in bed.

Sighing, I remove the covers off me and leave the room. Navigating my way through the massive house in pitch black darkness, I finally find the way to the terrace.

I badly need some fresh air.

My eyes take some time to adjust to the darkness but when they do, I am met by the unmistakable silhouette of Hunter.

I am surprised to find him here but it is not entirely unwelcome either to have him right now. I could perhaps do with some company.

"Hunter?"

There is no expression of surprise from him however and he continues to stare out into the night sky, unmoved by my presence. The only acknowledgment that I get from him is an almost imperceptible nodding of his head.

I make my way beside him wordlessly.

"Why are you up?" he asks.

"I couldn't sleep," I concede.

He takes a quick glance at me before asking, "Why?"

I feel my breath choking me, as the images of the nightmare come back to me.

"Bad dream." I whisper.

He does not ask anymore and we fall into a very uncharacteristic silence, given how we always trade obscenities whenever we are together.

Seconds tick past, minutes tick past and I find myself going back to the events of the nightmare: my actions haunting me.

My palms begin to grow sweaty and I almost gasp for air, suddenly feeling caged; claustrophobic.

"Hey, you okay?" Hunter questions, worry lacing itself onto his words.

I manage to nod, words refusing to form.

He stares at me, clearly not convinced. I cannot bring myself to make eye contact with him and stand there, motionless, waiting for my jarring thoughts to calm down.

"We did not kill any civilians, did we?" I ask softly when I have found my voice again.

He takes a long look at me and through my fear stricken eyes, I see his gaze softening, sympathy rising in them, "No, you didn't."

I let out a breath that I was holding.

Without another word, he wraps his arms around my shoulders and I feel my insides crumbling at that gesture. For reasons inexplicable, I find tears streaming down my face.

"You did nothing wrong," he hushes me down. "It was all Lothor."

I try my best to contain my tears but they just do not stop. I free myself from Hunter's grasp and futilely wipe away the tears rolling down my face.

Gently turning me to face him, Hunter places his hands firmly on my arms.

I look down, trying to avoid making eye contact.

"Look at me, Tor," he says.

I blink back whatever stray tears were forming and force myself to look at him.

"I need you to stop being so hard on yourself, okay?"

"I dreamt that I had killed-"

"I know, I know," he cuts me off, quietening me. "I know, but it was just a dream."

I sniff.

"There was no one that you injured, let alone kill," he assures me. "I checked."

I nod, words still refusing to come through my mouth, everything a tangled mess inside.

He pulls me in close and I bury my head into his chest, something strangely protected and safe about his embrace.

His hands encircle my back, holding me close.

"I could have," I whisper, voice tremulous.

"But you did not," he says. "You have to remember that."

I do not know what to say and just stay where I am, safely nestled in Hunter's arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

When I am convinced that I am not going to break down again, I lift my face up, my eyes meeting his in the process.

"All you have done today is save the world," he tells me, cupping my cheeks, wiping away a stray tear. "That's a big thing, princess."

I find myself smiling at that.

"Thanks," I whisper.

He smiles at me, warm and genuine, all signs of cocky jackassery missing.

"Glad to help."

He does not let go of me then and I realize just how close we are. Our bodies are all but plastered together, not a hairsbreadth between us. His blue eyes are fixed on me and I find myself staring at him unabashedly.

But before anything can happen, Hunter pulls back, creating some space between us.

I feel my heart hammer in my chest, his touch a ghost on my skin, as he turns away from me.

My breathing is ragged and I do not trust myself to talk. I am unsure of what has just transpired between us: we were talking, I was telling him about my nightmare, he was comforting me and then, suddenly we were very close, waiting for something to happen, one blunder that would set everything wrong.

"We should catch some sleep, Tori," Hunter says.

"Yeah," I say, averting his gaze, thoughts still disoriented.

He begins to walk away.

"Hunter?"

He stops in his tracks.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you here anyway?"

"I was paying my demons a visit, Tor."

* * *

Comfortably ensconced in bed, I have an epiphany.

Rousing the man beside me from his sleep, I ask, "What date is it today?"

He groans, "I am sleeping, Tori. Can this wait?"

"No, it can't," I say firmly. "Isn't it the seventeenth of September today?"

Blinking his eyes open, subjecting me to a disdainful look, he sighs, "Yeah, maybe. Who cares?"

"Hunter, remember that night when you illegally bought me beer?"

At the mention of that, he is wide awake.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"That was the seventeenth of September. I remember because-"

"That's the day Blake left," he completes for me.

"Yeah," I say, propping myself up on my elbows, lying on my stomach.

"It is the seventeenth of September today," I tell him.

"Yeah, so?" he frowns at me.

"So," I begin. "Maybe it is the universe telling us something."

He narrows his eyes at me and then starts guffawing.

I hit him on his arm, shutting him up.

"Alright, so you are a nihilist," I tell him.

He opens his mouth but I put a finger on his lips.

"But I am not," I continue. "And I am going to go ahead and believe that the universe is indeed sending out a message."

Removing my fingers from his lips, he doubles up with laughter yet again.

Between bursts of hysterical laughter, he manages to ask me, "And what message is that?"

I sigh, "Maybe this is our date, our day: yours and mine."


	3. Same Old Love

I can only apologize for this late update.

A very big thank you to _maryeemeeh_ and _Doubutsu-lover._

This is definitely my favorite chapter so far. It is slightly long but I hope you will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

A little heads up: this chapter contains mature situations. Nothing graphic though.

Leave behind reviews as I would really like to know what you guys feel about this installment.

* * *

 **Tori**

* * *

I'm so sick of that same old love, that shit, it tears me up  
I'm so sick of that same old love, my body's had enough  
I'm so sick of that same old love, feels like I've blown apart  
I'm so sick of that same old love, the kind that breaks your heart.

\- _Same Old Love,_

Selena Gomez.

* * *

 **17 September, 2005.**

* * *

The door bangs close, louder than usual, the thunderous sound triggering off several echos in my mind. It is still dark outside and I find relief coursing through my veins that I have the next few hours to myself.

I should hate myself for feeling this way: for harboring and nurturing this intense distaste for the hours spent with him, for all the moments shared with him, for all the thoughts and beliefs and wishes conveyed to him, for _him_ and all things him. I wonder when this started: when my doe eyed hopelessly romantic notions about him, about _us_ , turned into this vehement loathing, this detached indifference, this untameable rancor.

It had started like every other relationship: dates in somewhat fancy restaurants, dressing up for the occasions, butterflies fluttering within, walks underneath the glimmering night sky, that awkward yet defining first kiss, little gifts, phone calls through the night, days melting into nights, nights melting into whatever we wanted them to be. Admittedly, it was a good feeling to have: to have someone to talk to, to not always return to an empty house, to wake up nestled in someone's arms.

I was convinced that I was in love: it certainly felt that way. There was nothing about the relationship that I would change, there was nothing about him that I would change. I loved every little thing about him. I noticed all the tiny minuscule insignificant things about him and I began loving them: how his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down when he talked, how his eyes crinkled when he laughed or how they narrowed when he examined something or how they looked especially blue when he looked at me, how he signed his name, the D artfully slanted. I loved how my fingers perfectly entwined with his, how he brushed his hands against my back, how his heart sounded as it beat underneath me when I lay on his chest. I felt I was in love and I loved being in love.

Perhaps that is where the problems started: me way too deep in love with the idea of being in love to be oblivious and ignorant to the gaping holes of incongruity and incompatibility. The little things that should have rung clear warning bells in my head seemed like simple innocuous acts of overprotection from a caring boyfriend. Him browsing through my contacts, listening to my conversations on the phone, sudden appearances at the beach did not seem all that odd; off beat. Till he accused me of lying to him about the nature of my work. The thought that someone could be so distrusting to actually spy on their partner, I think that is what was the trigger that set me off. By then, we had been dating for quite a few months and I had decided to tell him about the Wind Ninja Academy at the earliest opportunity.

His accusation, his words full of anger and distrust opened a can full of worms. The littlest of things things that would not have bothered me a week back suddenly seemed unbearable and toxic. Thinking back, I should have ended things there, broken all ties with him but I was too weak, too scared and frightened to let go of that one thing that gave my otherwise maniacal life some stability, some normalcy.

And so, I stuck with it, tried to give the already dead and withering roots another chance to live. I stuck with it only to wake up every morning feeling the pathetic about myself, pitying my condition, hating my feelings, pretending to be asleep till he left, feeling dirty and filthy for spending the night with him.

I stuck with him only to lose myself.

* * *

Midway through my morning chores, I am filled with the inexplicable need to relive the old days, this emptiness within me that is threatening to swallow me alive. I suddenly want to be eighteen again, I want to have a purpose in my life, I want to be of some use.

I want to be that girl who always knew what was to be done, who always had her head on her shoulder, who could hold things together, who felt happy and _complete._ I want to be that girl who had not hopelessly fallen in love with someone to give away a piece of herself, who had not stupidly let someone in thinking that she could live a fairytale with him, who had been able to stand on her own two feet and had believed that she could have taken on the world by herself. I find myself longing for the old days when my life was only about attending a secret Ninja Academy, balancing school and surfing, putting up with high school drama and two adorably annoying best friends. I miss the days when the biggest relationship problem in my life was having a crush who had left town for a better shot at his career.

And so I let myself drop to the floor, a thousand picture perfect memories scattered around me, miraculously giving me strength, belief and hope, telling me that I can survive this. There are photographs and letters, emails that I have printed, mementos, gifts, tokens and so very much surrounding me that for a moment, I am convinced that I am eighteen, indeed.

I let the memories engulf and engorge me: there is a picture of all six of us on our graduation day, a newspaper cutout recounting the heroics of the Rangers from Blue Bay Harbor, a few certificates from the academy, my old morpher, letters from Blake and Hunter, emails from them. With every article, there are so many stories attached, so many memories entwined that I find myself laughing and smiling as I browse through them.

I do not remember the last time I felt so _happy_ and so when I hear the doorbell ring, I do not get up at once. I am too scared to leave this moment behind, too scared to lose it forever. I want to hold onto this one pristine moment of absolute joy that I have had in a very long time.

But when the person on the other end starts banging on the door, I am forced to get up.

It is like seeing a ghost when I open the door: blonde hair longer than usual, some of it falling onto his eyes and some of it brushing his nape, blue eyes alive and bright, mouth curled into a smirk, arms folded over his chest, Hunter Bradley is staring at me.

I am too shocked to react. Of all the people I was expecting, Hunter was definitely not one of them. I had not even seen him since the team up with the Dino Rangers. Every time he had been over to the Wind Ninja Academy, I had been away and the one time, I visited the Thunder Ninja Academy, he had not been there. We had kept in touch though: periodic emails and occasional phone calls. He had woken me up at twelve in the night on the day of my birthday to remind me that it was just another year before it would be legal for me to indulge in my unhealthy obsession for alcohol.

 _Hunter._

"Where's the excited gushing and the squealing, princess?" he asks, voice sounding heavier and huskier than before.

I let out a snort of a laugh, his words reminding me just how badly I have missed him.

"Shut up," I groan, pulling him in for a hug.

"That's more like it," he says, his breath tickling my neck, his warm body returning my embrace.

I don't know how long we stay like that or why we stay like that. All I know is that it feels good, it feels right and I feel _happy_. Pulling back, I ask him, "What brings you here?"

I think I see the tiniest bit of disappointment flashing in his eyes just for a moment. But before I can ponder on it, he says, "You don't remember,"

I frown at him, failing to grasp his cryptic response.

He sighs and then explains, "What date is it today?"

That is when the realization hits me. It is the seventeenth of September today.

"It's the seventeenth!" I exclaim.

"Yes, princess," he shrugs. "Our date, remember?"

Of course I remember. How could I not? Suddenly, I feel my spirits lift, this simple gesture from Hunter making me feel _alive_ , making me believe that my existence matters, making me believe that I am important.

At least to one person, I am important. At least one person cares enough about me to remember me.

It is with a giddy heart that I realize how I don't mind at all that one person is Hunter.

* * *

"So, what are you going to tell the others?" I ask, chewing my nails.

"What's there to tell?" Hunter's response is immediate.

I can hear the waterfall approaching, the steady beat of my element crashing against the rocks straining through my ears.

"Don't you need to explain your reason for being here?" I ask, slightly annoyed by his inability to understand my concern.

"Well, I am just here to visit my friends because it's been too long since I last saw them."

"Okay," I nod unsurely, a frown making its way to my face.

"You worry too much, Tor," he chuckles.

"There is another problem too," I continue.

"What's that?" he asks me, an amused grin on his face.

"I can't just take the entire day off without giving an explanation. There will be questions and-"

He cuts me off by pressing a finger on my lips. I can almost see the look of surprise on my face.

"What- what are you doing?" I stutter.

"Shutting you up," he laughs back. "I have been gone for two years and you lost all the fun you had. Relax, princess. I'll bail you out."

I blink back stupidly, my heart doing absurd things inside.

And suddenly, just like that, this enigma of a man towering over me, his blue eyes radiating life and joy and _color,_ his fingers pressed on my lips, his warm presence around me transports me back in time to the days I have been yearning for.

And suddenly, just like that, I am eighteen again, wild and free.

* * *

As promised, he bails me out. I don't really know what he tells Cam but after fifteen minutes in the Samurai's room, he appears at my door, a self satisfied grin firmly in place, reeking of smugness.

I spare myself the misery of listening to his ingenious strategy to get me out of the academy and do not ask him anything. Surprisingly, he does not try to bring it up either and we hike across the woods in silence.

I do not remember the last time when I felt so at ease, when I truly felt like me. I am aware of the constant gnawing of guilt: this tiny yet powerful voice that tells me that in some way, this is a betrayal, that it should not be Hunter who makes me feel these things. But I cannot help it, I cannot stop myself from feeling this way around him. I cannot stop myself from feeling happy and lightweight, wanted and important, alive and beautiful, around him.

And honestly, I am not even sure if I want to stop feeling this way around him.

* * *

"What's his name?" he asks as we reach the end of the woods.

I know who he is talking about, of course I do. He is all that everybody talks about and I have grown to hate it. I hate how he follows me around everywhere I go; ubiquitous.

"Dylan," I respond, voice morose in spite of the attempt to remain non-committal.

I expect some kind of snide remark from Hunter but there is none. All I get is a prolonged worried glance. I wonder what he has picked up on.

Much to my chagrin, he asks, "Is something wrong between the two of you?"

 _Damn._

"No, nothing," I reply, painfully aware of how my reply sounds too sudden, too hurried and I know that he will read between the lines without difficulty, that I will be a vulnerable open book in front of him.

I steel myself for the questions that I know are about to come and I look him square in the eye, ready to confront him.

But he surprises me yet again, letting the matter drop as we head out into the city, its arms of chaos and confusion wrapping around us.

* * *

We end up ordering pizza and Chinese for lunch at my place, because he insists that he will have nothing but pizza and I insist on nothing but Chinese. Eventually, it is a frightening fusion of food that we have for lunch. There are lots of stories to trade: stupid ones, funny ones, halcyonic ones, dark ones.

And somewhere in between tales of hopeless students, Power Rangers, Ninja schools, dreamless nights and nightmares, we end up on the couch, my head on his lap, his hands entwined in my hair, the TV playing softly and casting us aglow.

* * *

We reach the beach just in time for the sunset. We sit in silence watching the world around us losing its colors to dissipate into darkness, watching our shadows dissolve into the night, leaving behind just us, two souls trying to remove the shroud of darkness and return to the world full of bright beautiful hues.

* * *

"Don't go tonight," I say, voicing the thought that has been whirling inside for the last few hours.

The sun has set long ago, the resplendent iridescent artificial city lights having taken its place.

"But I have to be at the academy tomorrow," he says. "Head teacher and all."

"I'll bail you out," I say promptly, a half smile playing on my lips.

He laughs at that: a thorough joyful sound.

"Will you?" I ask again, my heart beating faster in anticipation of his answer because today has been nothing but perfect and I am not ready to lose it this soon.

"Only if you promise to bail me out," he replies, a cheeky grin on his face.

"It's a promise."

"Looks like I'm staying then."

* * *

Dylan calls while we are at the beach. I promptly reject the call and text him that I am at a party with my girlfriends and cannot take his call. He does not reply, just as I had expected.

Things between us had been strained ever since he found out that I had been lying to him about my job. Most days I woke up thinking that perhaps today would be the day when this precarious thread of our relationship would break but that never happened. Days wore on and we drifted further apart, the gap between us widening every day because of our lack of attempts to bridge the gap and solve our problems.

"Who was it?" Hunter's voice makes me jump.

"Dylan."

Hunter does not say anything more, just stares at the ocean and its growing turbulence.

* * *

He does not bring up Dylan until well after dinner when we are in my balcony.

"What's wrong between you and your boyfriend?" he asks. His bluntness surprises me but then again, I have never known Hunter to mince his words.

"Do we have to talk about it?" I ask.

"No, not really," he says. "But I would like to know."

He fixes his blue eyes on me. I can see the city lights in his eyes, his face a wondrous tint of orange and blue neon lights.

He hoists himself up on the parapet, blue eyes not leaving me for a second.

"It's complicated," I find myself saying.

"Figured, princess," he sighs.

I look at him to see if he is making fun of me but there is no hint of a smile on his face.

I follow his cue and lift myself onto the parapet, feet dangling in the air, my back to the bright lights of the city.

"You see, there are basic differences between us that went initially unnoticed because we- mostly, I was too swept up in this fantasy of love."

He does not reply and I take that as a cue for me to continue.

"When I met Dylan for the first time, I was in a horrible personal space. Everybody around me was happy and settled and knew exactly where they wanted their lives to go-"

I see his gaze softening, the faintest of emotions washing up on his face.

"- and there I was, no sense of anything in my life, no stability, no nothing. Dylan was the stability I needed. At that point of time, it seemed to me that he was the only thing that could hold my life together. I was so wrapped up in providing myself some stability and normalcy, I did not pay attention to the little differences between us. I think-"

"You fell in love."

It is more of a statement than a question and I feel myself dwindling into oblivion in light of this observation of his. I break eye contact with Hunter, who is looking at me sharply, eyes boring a hole into me.

"Yes, I did," I reply eventually. "At least I thought I did. Now, I don't even know what I feel. It felt so right, you know. And then, things happened and this utopia that I had built for myself crumbled in front of my eyes."

"What happened?"

"I told him that I worked at a kindergarten and he went behind my back to check whether I actually worked there," I sigh.

"And, obviously, you didn't."

"No," I reply. "That pissed me off: how someone could be so distrusting."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I had been fired very recently and currently, I did not have a job."

"I am surprised he does not have a security detail on you," he says, sarcasm leaking from his voice.

"I can't completely blame him either," I say docilely. "To be fair to him, he too needs the truth. You can't really have relationships based on secrets and lies. It becomes too much of hard work."

"But what he did was wrong," he states indignantly.

"I know," I say. "But this shit that we are in, it's not completely on him. It's on me too."

I can see faint lines of disagreement and discord on his face but he does not reply and silence spans between the two of us for a long awkward moment.

"You deserve better than him, Tori," he finally says, not looking at me. "Anyone who treats you like that is a douchebag and you deserve better than douchebags."

It is involuntary but I snap at that, "Dammit Hunter. That's what everyone tells me and I am so tired of hearing that. If I really deserved someone better than him, don't you think things would have played out differently?"

I am glaring daggers at him, anger bubbling within me, misplaced anger aimed at everyone, a result of my own frustration.

He seems taken aback by my response but nevertheless continues, clearly unafraid to speak whatever is on his mind, "Why the hell are you still with him?"

"I'm sorry?" I spit.

That is the last straw. I cannot believe his audacity to question my life, my decisions.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Hunter?"

I am spitting fire now.

"Excuse me?" he asks, jumping down from the parapet. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I look him square in the eye and sputter, "You cannot waltz in on my life for one day after one whole year and question my decisions."

I see a sardonic smile crossing his features.

"I'm sorry, Tori," he says. "But get this straight: this breakdown of yours is not because of me questioning your decisions but because of you questioning your own decisions. You know that this is a mistake and you are still going on with it."

I know he is right. He has nailed it, he has read me better than anyone and that makes me hate him even more. I hate to be so transparent and I am too proud to admit that he is right.

"You know what, Hunter? You are wrong. You think you have it all figured out but you don't. And honestly, who wants relationship advice from you? When have you ever had a stable relationship? All you do is sleep around so spare me your help."

The words are out of my mouth before I know it. I see the anger in his eyes disappearing and it is slowly replaced by something I fear: hurt.

He lets out a laugh and takes a step closer, his eyes darker than I have ever seen.

"You are right, Tor," he hisses. "But at least, I am not a coward like you. At least, I am not lying to myself."

"How dare-"

"Cut the crap, Tori," he yells, making me jump.

I have never seen him so angry before and I find myself scared of him.

"Hunter," I breathe out, my voice breaking.

He holds my gaze for a long time before backing away, creating some space between us.

When he turns around, I let out a breath I did not know I was holding. I can feel my heart beating in my chest, a violent turbulence of emotions within me and before I can realize it, I have broken down into tears: every conflict within me rising to the surface and reducing me to this raw ball of vulnerability.

I think he hears me but he does not stop, does not so much as turn back, just storms out, leaving me alone in the darkness, at mercy to my demons.

* * *

He is waiting by the door when I return from the balcony: face probably red from the crying of the last hour, hair probably a mess.

"I'm leaving," he tells me.

I nod, sniffing.

He turns the doorknob and then hesitates. I stare at him expectantly, hoping that he will stay. I don't want to be alone right now.

"I…" he hesitates and finally fishes out a box from his pocket. "I got this for you, thought I would surprise you but-"

He trails off, letting out a remorseful laugh.

He hands it out awkwardly and I take it, our fingers brushing together, igniting something in me.

It is a silver bracelet and slipping it into my hand, I notice that it fits perfectly.

"Thank you," I whisper.

He sighs.

"Call me when you get back," I say, clearing my voice.

I know I should apologize: I was the one who had said the nasty, mean things, but I don't.

"Tori," he says, bringing me out of my trance. "I am sorry."

 _Shit._

I feel tears welling up in my eyes again. I don't deserve to be treated so nicely by him. My words from earlier echo in my ears, the look in his eyes flashes before my eyes and I break down into a fresh volley of tears.

This time, he moves towards me and wraps his arms around me. I bury my head into his chest as he hushes me.

"I'm sorry," I sob. "I didn't mean all that."

"I know," he says, kissing the top of my head. "It's okay."

"I was just angry with myself and nothing made sense and I-"

"Hey, it's okay," he cuts me off, pulling back gently to meet my eyes.

I expect him to say something, to tell me that I need to break it off with Dylan or to tell me that he will be leaving, but there is nothing.

He just holds me in his arms for the longest moment till my tears have dried, his eyes not leaving me.

"Stay," I whisper.

I don't fully register what follows. Through the shield of mist covering my eyes, I watch him: he moves in closer, his hands securing themselves around my waist, his nose brushing against mine, his eyes fixed on me, his lips a hairsbreadth away from mine, my name on his lips.

I do not understand where this comes from but then again, if I am honest with myself, this entire day had been, in a way, building up to create something like this.

If I am honest with myself, this is what I had wanted.

So when Hunter finally clears the gap and presses his lips on mine, I do not pull back. I press myself closer to him, longing to feel his touch. We fall into a rhythm, we move in sync, and within minutes, he is on top of me on my bed, clothes discarded somewhere on the way. I don't stop him: I let his hands roam my body, I let his fingers caress my scars, I let his lips linger on my skin, I let his teeth leave marks on me. He does not stop me either: my hands are on an exploration of their own, I trace the lines of definition on his chest, the old battle scars, the flaws, the marks scattered all over his body.

I have never felt this way, no one has made me feel this way. His touches are electric, his voice makes me tremble and although what I am essentially doing is cheating on my partner, this feels too good to be wrong.

He worships my body: first with his hands then with his tongue. His touches are firm, definite and as he makes loves to me, broken yet healing, I am convinced that this cannot be wrong.

Quavering in his arms, body numb, heart pounding in the aftermath, I forget all about my betrayal, all about my problems and I fall asleep, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

* * *

I wake up in the morning to an empty house, all traces of last night gone, all traces of Hunter missing.

I collapse onto the cold floor: broken, scarred and unfixable.


	4. The Scientist

I know my updates tell a different story but I haven't forgotten this. And I am really looking forward to writing more of this in the next few months so hopefully, that'll mean way more regular updates.

Thank you for favoriting/following this: _Joycekribeiro, annyRhale, PrimaFaba_ and _Kiggy3._ You guys are wonderful.

And for a change, it's Hunter this time around.

Nothing more from me. I would love to hear some feedback. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Hunter**

* * *

Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be this hard.

\- _The Scientist,_

Coldplay.

* * *

 **17 September, 2006.**

* * *

I stare at the pristine cerulean water cascading in front of me, leaping from great heights only to steadily find their pace and meander into the river that awaits it. The cold droplets occasionally splash onto me, keeping me from working myself into a trance.

I breathe out heavily, clenching and unclenching my fists to keep myself steady. I have to do this, there is no way out. I cannot run away from the consequences of my actions every single time.

 _Besides I have been running for a year._

So I let my feet reluctantly drag me to the waterfall that has been patiently waiting for me to step into its portal of chaos that will lead me to the mess that I know I have created.

* * *

I never wanted things to unfold the way they did. I had been lonely and hurting-

 _Like always._

-and I needed something to make me feel better about myself; something to keep me from giving up. So I had sought comfort in knowing that there was a girl miles away who believed that the universe had a day for us, one day that belonged to only us. And that's how I had ended up at her house: desperate for something that would remind me that I still mattered. The day went on, insidious and furtive in its way of building moments that eventually culminated in a disaster.

Somewhere deep down, I feel like I took advantage of her. I was broken and lonely and needy and she was there, equally broken and lonely and needy. And I just couldn't stop myself.

 _I didn't want to stop either._

But in the light of the day, the full weight of my actions came down upon me. Glancing at Tori lying beside me, asleep and peaceful, all I could feel was disgust and loathing for myself.

 _She had a boyfriend, dammit._

And so I ran, ran as fast as my legs could carry the burden of my sins.

* * *

"Look who has finally decided to grace us with his presence," Dustin says as I walk into Ninja Ops.

The place doesn't look any different than it did three years ago and in a certain way it makes it still feel like home; a shelter to seek when everything else turns upside down.

"Sorry man," I tell Dustin as he bumps his fist excitedly against mine. "I got really busy with things at the Academy."

"Good thing you guys are talking about merging the schools, right?" he says with a grin on his face.

 _Great thing._

"I have missed having someone around who could kick my ass at motocross," he continues.

I laugh in reply.

"Where's everyone else?" I ask.

"They'll be here any moment. Shane and Tori have classes and Cam said something about running diagnostics on... something," he trails off.

"Okay," I say, seating myself down on the low table at the centre of the room.

"Hey Hunter," Dustin says as he sits down on the floor in front of me. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

I don't generally like conversations that start like this. The simple reason being that the other person thinks that there maybe something about it to offend me or upset me.

I nod nevertheless. "No, tell me."

"You don't think anything happened between Tori and Blake again, do you?" he starts hesitantly, averting my gaze and fiddling with his hands. "I don't know if you know or not but Tori had a boyfriend till a few months back. Shane and I didn't really like the dude but Tori liked him and that was enough. I mean, she was finally moving on from Blake and whatever they were."

I think I know where this is going and feel my breath catching in my throat and choking me.

 _Fuck._

I have to school my expression into remaining neutral; indifferent. Dustin can't know anything.

"So what happened was that they broke up a few months ago and it was nasty. He said some pretty mean things and we don't know if they are true or not. We never asked Tori because she didn't look like she wanted to talk about it-"

"What did he say?" I breathe out.

Dustin hesitates for a moment. "You don't have to know."

"Dustin, please."

He sighs and finally concedes. "Told her she could screw all the Bradleys in the world."

My face probably snaps out of the neutral expression I had been trying so hard to maintain because Dustin flinches in discomfort and offers helplessly, "The guy was a dick."

I have to clear my throat before I can speak again. "Yeah," I nod, shifting uncomfortably.

Dustin gives me a strange look which I'm too flustered to process or understand. "So... did anything happen between them?" he asks.

It takes me a moment to realize that he is talking about Blake and Tori. "Uh. Not that I know of. I haven't really spoken to either of them recently," I tell him honestly.

 _I have been lonely and hurting._

I shake away that thought as soon as it appears; now is not the time to dwell on that. "Besides they don't really tell me stuff like this, you know." I manage a hollow laugh and hope that it will be enough to mask my discomfort and guilt.

I think it works because Dustin smiles sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry dude. I don't even know why I told you all that."

"No worries, man."

He gives me an assuring nod and makes himself busy with some documents laid out on the table.

"Dustin, is Tori okay?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

I don't know why I ask it. I think I know she isn't okay; I made sure of that when I left her without an explanation and didn't reach out to her in a year. But I think somewhere deep down I want to believe that my actions didn't hurt her. I want to believe I'm not as horrible a person I know I am.

"Tori, well," Dustin struggles to explain it. "She isn't not okay, you know. But she isn't who she used to be. It's like someone took away the part of her that made her Tori."

I feel myself dwindling with every word he utters.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "I guess, she has become a shadow of the girl who saved the world from being destroyed."

* * *

I understand what he means when Dustin says she has become a shadow of herself when she walks into Ops.

She doesn't look much different at first glance but on closer inspection, she looks tired, as if she doesn't want to fight any more but doesn't know how to stop the war that constantly rages on in her head.

I know because that's what I see in the mirror every single morning.

She doesn't notice me at first and gives Dustin a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes; that isn't quite Tori. And then her eyes connect with mine in one awkward long moment till she tears her gaze away, the fire that I have always known returning to her.

"What are you doing here?" she hisses, fixing her eyes on me.

"Cam needed to talk to me about-"

"And he chose today?" she laughs mirthlessly. "Today? The fucking seventeenth?"

"I chose today," I reply calmly.

I deserve this outburst. I deserve much worse.

"How dare you?" she yells, closing in on the distance between us.

"Tori-" I start.

"Guys, am I missing something?" Dustin asks, clearly perplexed.

"Why don't you ask Hunter?" Tori turns sharply to face him. "I'm sure he has some grand story filled with fucking excuses and lies to tell you."

"Tori-"

"I'm going out for a walk," she cuts me off without even looking at me and storms out of Ninja Ops without sparing either of us a glance.

 _What have I done?_

"Dude, what the hell?" Dustin gasps as soon as she is out of sight.

I realize I'm still staring at the entrance to the underground shelter. "I need to go talk to her," I manage to make my feet move. "Ask Cam to wait, will you?"

* * *

"Tori, wait. I need to talk to you," I call out to the receding figure in front of me.

"Fuck off, Hunter," she yells, walking unbothered. "You didn't even come here to talk to me. You don't even think you need to talk to me so fuck off and do what you came to do."

She isn't entirely wrong but she isn't right either. I just didn't know how to talk to her after I left. I didn't know if my words would help. There had been nights when I had picked up the phone and had almost called her, intending to apologize and explain myself but I had never got that far. I had never let myself get that far because I was scared that nothing I said could ever improve the situation and things would end up worse than what they already were. But right now things didn't seem like they could be any further worse.

It's a hasty decision but l streak and end up in front of her, blocking her way.

It's late and the sun is casting out dying embers. The Academy is deserted and lifeless, reminiscent of chilling times when we were Rangers and this place was a heap of rubble.

"Move," she hisses, the fading rays of the sun dancing on her skin.

"Can you please listen to what I have to say?" I force myself to look at her; this needs to be done.

"A year, Hunter! One whole year! What is wrong with you?" she yells taking a step closer, the rays at once disappearing from her face as the sun dips further, leaving us immersed in the shadows.

"Tori-"

"What do you have to say now? What is it that took you one whole year?" she says, her voice trembling.

I stare at her helplessly. I don't know what to say. I don't know if there's anything that I can say that will make this situation any better. I don't even know if this situation can be made better; saved from the wreckage I have spilled.

 _Apologize._

I hate this voice in my head that is always so damned right. I hate listening to it because doing what is right has never worked my way.

"Hunter, get out of my way," her icy words cut through my thoughts.

"I'm sorry," I blurt and instantly regret it.

"Oh my God! Are you serious, right now?" she scoffs, a mirthless bitter laugh escaping her. "Who do you think you are?"

"An asshole, quite honestly," I mutter, looking down at the ground.

She laughs once more, humorless. "This is a joke for you, isn't it?"

"What?" I eject, my eyes meeting her hurriedly. "No. Of course not. Tori- What are you even saying?"

She looks at me with a hint of skepticism; disbelief. "What do you want, Hunter?" she finally sighs, the anger and the fire disappearing suddenly, leaving behind that shadow Dustin mentioned.

"Can we talk?" It's probably a futile request but I have to try.

I can't lose her because I didn't try hard enough. Not her.

"Why now, Hunter?" She sounds defeated, something I never would have associated with her. "I was beginning to find some peace. Can't you let me have that?"

 _Shit._

I wasn't expecting this. The thought that she wouldn't want my apology had crossed my mind but that she wouldn't need it, I hadn't thought of that. I suddenly feel useless and unwanted.

"I didn't mean to do that. Not let you find peace, I mean," I ramble. "I only wanted to make things better."

"You can't," she says, voice firm once more. The sun has set by now and I suddenly notice how soon the darkness has descended upon us.

"Can I at least explain myself?" I press. Maybe she doesn't need my apology but I need to tell her these things, need to voice these thoughts that have been whirling in my head and gnawing at me; eating me hollow. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect you to ever want to see me or talk to me but just this once, can you please listen to me?"

She looks at me for one long moment, weighing decisions I am not aware of till she finally whispers, "Fine."

"I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did," I start unsurely, averting her gaze as best as I can. "I wish I could do them differently but I can't so all I can do is tell you how sorry I am."

I look at her expectantly but she only stares at me with a blank look on her face. "Why did you leave?" she finally whispers, her voice quivering.

"I... I didn't know what else to do," I say softly, not quite knowing how to articulate what I want to say.

She laughs again, that same humorless sound bubbling out of her that makes my heart clench. "Don't lie, Hunter. Not now."

I glance at her warily and find her looking at me. "Why did you leave?" she repeats.

"What else was I supposed to do?" I ask her bitterly. "You had a boyfriend, Tori."

"Exactly, Hunter!" she raises her voice a notch. "I had a boyfriend. I cheated on him. With you. _You._ And it felt so right till you left me in the morning without a word like I was some stranger you had picked up in a bar to fuck."

"Tori," I cringe and turn my back to her.

"You are disgusted now, are you?" she screams. "Don't you dare turn your back on me, dammit. Look at me!"

She grabs my arm before I can do anything and forces me to face her, obliterating the distance between us. Her eyes burn into me as she throws barbed word after word, "You know, when you kissed me that night I felt something after such a long time. I didn't feel like I was dead and broken any more and for one moment, I wasn't even sorry I was cheating on my boyfriend. And then you left like all those things that meant so much to me didn't mean anything to you."

"They did," I whisper, suddenly aware of the insignificant and minuscule distance between us.

She smiles ruefully at me and lets go of my arm. "Did they? I wasn't just another girl you picked up-"

"Tori, don't say that," I cut her off. "You know that's not true."

"I don't know what's true any more, Hunter," she sighs, taking a step back.

"Tori, I was ashamed of myself and I ran. I never meant to hurt you," I tell her sincerely.

"Doesn't matter what you meant, Hunter," she says quietly, shaking her head.

"I know," I whisper.

There's a beat of awkward silence. The tension is palpable in the air and I feel myself being buried by its weight.

"I called you," she whispers, a slight tremble in her voice. "I called so many times and you never picked up."

"I didn't know what to tell you."

"Anything would have been better than nothing, Hunter. And just maybe we wouldn't have lost each other over this."

She stands up straighter with that and giving me one final glance, leaves me alone at mercy to the darkness of the night.

* * *

I walk into Ops minutes after her. I feel everyone glancing at me surreptitiously, probably trying to figure out what had happened between the two of us.

"Finally," Cam is the first one to speak, to bring us out of the uncomfortable silence. "Nice to have all of you here and it would be wonderful if we could stay back and chat and catch up and all that but I need to go home and I need your signatures if we ever want the two schools to merge."

"He doesn't really want to hang out, right?" Dustin whispers as we sign the documents moments later. "Because that would be really weird, dude."

 _Some things never change._

"He doesn't, man," Shane reassures him, casting another look at me.

Tori has isolated herself and is currently going through a few scrolls and Cam is impatiently waiting for us to finish signing the documents.

"Hey Hunter, things fine?" Shane asks me suddenly.

"Yeah," I nod absent mindedly, quickly signing the pages.

I feel his eyes linger on me but thankfully he doesn't push the matter any further and lets it drop.

Cam collects the documents as soon as we are done. "We can start working on expanding the schools as soon as my father and Sensei Omino approve of these tentative plans." He quickly browses through the pages to check if everything is in order.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Tori asks from the corner she has retreated to.

"I don't really know but since we'll be adding another building here, I think two years," Cam replies. "I believe you all can lock up after you leave. I'll be on my way then."

"Wait, dude," Shane stops him. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

I swear I see Cam's face flush at that and apparently, so do Shane and Dustin because the next moment they break out in unison, "Cam has a date tonight."

And for some reason, I find myself smiling at the incredulity of the situation.

The samurai turns redder but quickly clears his throat and regains his composure. "Before any of you say anything else, I'd like to remind you that I'm the one who owns the academy where you work."

"Not cool, bro," Shane protests. "Besides your dad owns this place and Hunter doesn't even work here."

"True," I chuckle.

"So Cam," Shane wraps an arm around the samurai's shoulder which he shakes off almost at once. "Do we know your date?"

"Guys, just let him go, okay? He is probably already late," Tori interrupts, a smile on her face, her eyes alive and bright and for one moment, I feel like I am staring at the Tori Hanson I have always known.

* * *

Cam is allowed to go after a little more grilling and soon after the rest of us leave the underground shelter that had seen us through the worst of times.

The world outside is pitch dark and we walk through the moonlit woods chatting idly about random topics. Tori hangs back and never really participates in the conversation and to my surprise, Shane and Dustin don't try to include her either.

I wonder how long this has been going on for.

"It's gonna be just like old times when the schools merge," Dustin comments as we approach the city lights.

 _I hope so._

* * *

Shane and Dustin disappear as streaks of red and yellow leaving the two of us awkwardly staring at each other.

I know what this is going to be. I have known too many of these moments to be able to recognize them just by the tense flicker in the other person's eyes and the asphyxiating sound of their breath.

 _This is goodbye._

"I think it will be for the best if we-" she starts, her eyes focussing on everything but mine.

"I know," I sigh. I can't bear to hear her say it so I complete for her, "No more seventeenth Septembers, then."

She looks at me wistfully and whispers, "I guess not."

I laugh ruefully and tell her, "Well, at least we had a day for some time."

"At least we did," she says, voice breaking. Her eyes glimmer in the faint moon light and I begin to wonder if they are tears.

I never find out though because the next moment, she streaks away, vanishing into the night in a blaze of blue.


End file.
